Over the past two decades, Haier, the Chinese household appliance manufacturer, has evolved from a small, collectively-owned factory into a multinational corporation. According to their website, they are now pursuing a global branding strategy.

Haier recently launched a campaign in Japan by cooperating with a Japanese household electrical wholesale company called “Jiaotian”. The Japanese market is unique in ways that are often not understood by international companies, causing many to fail when they try to enter Japan. In addition, Japanese consumers prefer to buy “Made in Japan” products. To address these issues, Haier has decided to co-operate with a local company so that they can assist Haier to satisfy Japanese consumers’ requirements and further localize their products for the Japanese market.

Indeed, compared with Japanese electrical appliance brands such as Sharp, Panasonic, and Sony, the Haier brand seems less competitive for high-end market segments. However, due to the financial crisis, many consumers have decreased their consumption or are opting for lower price products. As such, Haier has targeted the mass market by providing low-price household appliances with innovative products and design for Japanese consumers. For now, if Haier can cater to Japanese consumers with high quality products, sophisticated functions and a low price, they should successfully build their brand in the eyes of their target market.